1. She said that film should be acknowledge as an commercial tool
rather than an informative aspect.
Williams’ observation were that the expression of characters,
“tended towards social extension.”
The phrase ‘social extension’ connotes an enhancement of a
specific personality of a group of individuals that for screen
until their nature constantly develops, possibly addressing
social issue.
Hallam and Marshment noted that social realist text attract
characters that appear to be a key factor to society and who
may be an underlying importance in mainstream Hollywood
cinema.
Hill makes the point that social extension has included
representation of the working class at significant key points of
historical change. Although, this doesn’t allow a simple, overall
impression of the working class but their identity at the time of
change.
2. Social extension has urged film-makers to re-represent social and expressional injustices in
context to social class.
Lay argues that alongside the representation of ‘the working class life’ an expression of political
views and understanding of what is realist and what issues are relevant to the character from
social realist directions.
Dodd and Dodd argued that the representation of the working class was counter-representation
as the working class is shown as ‘hard labour working’ males. The portrayals limit their possible
victimisation and promotes a heroic nature to the audience. Therefore, the realistic aspect is not
achieved and this may not be the case with documentaries in the 30’s.
3. Lindsay Anderson believes that cinema has under-
represented the working class majorly and he uses
his work to demonstrate the way social realist film-
makers have a set aim to improve current
representations.
Anderson’s work and contemporaries showed a
extension break from what they believe to be the
‘stuffy’ and ‘sterile’ documentary realism.
Representations of working class in their films were
overly ‘full of life’ and vibrant. This was
predominantly due to the film-makers interest in
youth culture and acknowledgment of the
unpretentious working class. With this they were
concerned that they may have been at risk of being
under influenced from American Culture and
therefore employed regional actors to start in their
work.
Both the 1930’s and the 1950’s share a dominant
preoccupation with working class males.
4. Women in the New Wave films of the 50’s
and 60’s were treated hostilely as they
were seen as a threat to the working class
masculinity. This was down to their
objectives of marriage, motherhood and
having a calm lifestyle.
In the 80’s, the gender gap was challenged
by more female driven social realist texts
which introduced more of an importance
for women in the workforce and in the
general society.
In the 90’s, the role of women seemed to
degrade in social realist films. They were
portrayed to be unsupportive of their
husbands and consistent consumers.
Hallam suggested that the change launched
working class people into a more individual
domestic and leisure time surroundings.
The shift from production to consumption.
5. Higdon has explained that a feature of British realism is associated
with the ever-changing definitions of spaces in the public eye and
away from people. Hill agrees with this and also suggests that films
have altered by focusing more on private matters rather than
political.
Lay explains tat the representation of ethnicity as an invisible
force in British society and that white males have a sense of
dominance on screen.
